


A cursed snake

by orphan_account



Series: Tom Riddle and his riddling mysteries [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: :D, Alternate Hogwarts House Sorting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Good Tom Riddle, Harry Potter is Not the Boy-Who-Lived, Heir of Slytherin Harry Potter, Hogwarts is home?, I am evil, James Potter & Lily Evans Potter Live, Made up Villain yay, Magic made me do this, Mentor Severus Snape, No really I made my own villain, One Sided Attractions, Prophecy, Quote : I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to no Good ( Harry Potter ), Sane Tom Riddle, Slytherin Harry Potter, Tom Riddle is Not Voldemort, and that's exactly why I created this as a series, like really long, not really - Freeform, this is gonna be long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tom Riddle always loved mysteries and solving them, they fascinated him.So when a girl who was a huge mystery no one knew about, of course he'll be curious.
Relationships: Cedric Diggory & Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: Tom Riddle and his riddling mysteries [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022856
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	1. Train to Hogwarts

Tom Marvolo Riddle sighed as he let the train whistle sing through his ears. The sky was pastel with cotton candy like clouds moved slowly, gliding along the sky. The sun shone not too bright or too dim, lighting up the clouds like a halo. The whole sky was a sight to look at.

Students ushered through and into the train, chatter oozing everywhere he turned to. He closed his eyes in a tight line, sinking himself into the layer of clothing the train seats were made of. Possibly leather, he noted, and a small smile made it's way on his face.

His third year at Hogwarts, the place he considered home, the place he felt so accustomed to rather more than his own orphanage, the place where he finally had some happy memories.

Taking a detour didn't seem like a too bad idea as Tom noted, that students werestill making their entrances into the platforms and into the train. He leaned in a sleeping position, to make himself more comfortable. His trip down memory lane was ceased for the moment though, when he heard a small and timid voice speak of.

* * *

Hari James Potter was nervous.

After years of living with magic, she was finally going to learn about it herself. And the thought itself, made her jump on cloud nine.

Her father, James Potter smiled as he looked at his daughter, who gulped while looking at the long train, painted in red and black. The baby in the other woman's hands giggled as the whistles were heard in her ears. Hari looked at her parents with abnormal green eyes that shone anxiously, and grabbed her father's pant cloth.

Seeing the girl's nervousness, James knelt down to her level, cupping the girl's face with a reassuring smile. Lily was the one to speak first. "Are you scared, Hari ? " She asked.

"Well, yes. Were you guys not?" She asked a question herself, and the James chuckled at his daughter's question. He made Hari face him, and replied, "I don't know about your mother, but I was shaking in my boots."

Hari let out a soft laugh at that, and Lily hit the man's head lightly. A warm feeling surrounded the family for a minute, but the feeling died out when the whistle sang through their ears again.

"Dad." Hari called out, both hands now clutching on the trolley's handle. He hummed, encouraging the girl to voice out her wonder. Both the parent's attention was on the girl, and she mumbled,

"What if I was put in Slytherin?" The couple looked froze for a second, but returned to their normal faces and Lily took her daughter's hand, adjusting the baby on one hand. Hari looked at her father to her mother, who was smiling at her with warmth that somehow made the brunette girl feel better.

"If they did, then Slytherin would've gained a wonderful young witch." She said, ruffling the girl's hair, and messing it even more than it already was. Another whistle traveled through their ears, and James lightly ushered Hari forward.

"Now go on, princess! The train's gonna leave." He said, waving at the girl. She ran forward, turning to look at the three again. The couple kept waving, and Hari grinned as she boarded the train.

"Take care! We'll miss you!" Lily shouted out, careful not to make the baby cry. Hari waved while leaning out the train door, and finally, vanished inside.

She was gonna be great. James was sure of it.

* * *

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Came a squeaky, yet soft and silent voice, and Tom turned about almost immediately.

It was small girl. Likely a first year, he presumes, she had messy, _really messy_ brunette hair, abnormal green orbs that Tom has ever seen. The girl looked at him with nervousness crawling all over her, and Tom was snapped back to his senses.

"Oh, yes, of course." Tom managed to voice out, and the girl, with a smile, sat across from him. His face made it's way back to his right palm, eyes pretending to look outside the train. Now that he got a good look at the girl, he could tell she was a first year by the way her eyes shined while gawking at the train. The girl's face was small, soft jawline and knobby knees. Perfect for a eleven year old if Tom had to say so. Well, that's how Tom must've looked, he muses to himself, not that he had been straight up staring at the girl. He didn't even notice that her mouth began moving and she said something.

"Sorry what?" He asked, making himself face the girl properly. She inhaled sharply before placing her hands on her lap, looking at Tom straight in the face.

"I am Hari James Potter, nice to meet you." She said, holding out her hand with a small smile. The other male took it without hesitation, a smile of his own adoring his face. "Tom. Tom riddle."

"Are you a returning student? You look quite .. mature to be a first year." She asked, eyeing the other male with sparkling eyes. Tom chuckled at that and crossed his arms, looking out the window and then at Hari. The train started, making the other brunette startled. She gripped the seat for balance, and looked up at Tom, expecting him to say something.

" I am, a third year this year." Tom replied, smirking as he did so. Hari nodded her head in understanding, and made herself comfortable in the seat more. Tom's smirk didn't fade but stayed on his face as a stray thought ran along his mind.

_'This is ought to be a interesting ride.'_

* * *

The ride was indeed, very interesting in Tom's perspective.

They learnt more about eachother, parents, likes and stuff. Tom didn't miss the anxious look on Hari's face when he mentioned he was a Slytherin. But, the look soon melted away like chocolate. Tom could obviously tell the brunette had taken a liking to him, and the same can be said for Tom as well. They both fit like puzzle pieces, very similar. He also learnt that she was a parseltongue, that Tom himself was. They both got along really well, and Tom could tell she was Slytherin by the time they spent talking.

"You know, I think you'll make a great Slytherin." He began, turning the page of a book he was reading. After talking for a long time (not sure how long), Tom settled in on reading a book. Hari didn't mind and nibbled on the chocolate frog that she had so mercilessly killed by biting it's head off. Tom laughed so hard at how horrified she looked when biting the head.

".. I do?" Each word came with caution, that Tom couldn't help but notice. Whenever the word, 'slytherin' was bought up, her face would turn anxious and nervous. Tom was sure, there was definitely _something_ that happened to make her feel this way.

"Yeah. And it would be great if you did. We'll be able to see eachother more." He said, making the girl flush a pretty red. She stammered a 'yes' and continued on nibbling the chocolate.

Tom chuckled at the reaction and went on with his book, eyeing the girl now and then. She still looked really dazed.

Something was definitely off.


	2. Sorting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first years get sorted, and Hari is all but happy.

"You should get changed in your robes."

Hari looked up from swishing her wand around, and stared at the male infront of her with a blank expression. The outside scenery looked outstanding, which made Tom stare at it with soft and fixed eyes. Hari felt quiet disappointed with the lack of speech between them, but brushed it off anyway.

Back to the present. "My robes?" She asked, doubtful, and confused. Tom nodded lightly, pointing at himself, as he was already changed into them.

"You have sorting right after you get down, you won't have time to change then. So you should do now." He explained, and Hari nodded mindlessly at every word. She shuffled in her seat for a while, then taking out her case from below the seat. Tom watched her like a hawk, tracing her moments for any kind of hint on her hatred(?) on Slytherin. _None._

"Be back soon." He said, and the brunette smiled while running along the maybe empty train halls. He went back to his book, that had barely been finished, the book was about dark magic, a topic that interested Tom at it's finest. He was fond of reading books on them in the restricted section of the library, nearly got expelled once. Well, that's a story for another time. If he began on his freshman stories, he might talk a _lot._

"Oh. Tom, your here." A feminine voice said, and that voice felt familiar to the other male. By the door stood a girl with raven hair, let flow free, reaching past her shoulders and moving now and then with the train. Her blue eyes seemed strangely warm, only to Tom, he's noted. The girl smiled at him, walking in even without even asking him first.

_'The nerve.'_ Tom sneered, but kept his face friendly outwards. The girl kicked away Hari's case back under the seat. The male's eyebrow ticked at the fact that she had so mindlessly _kicked_ someone else's belonging, but he shook it off seconds later.

"How are you?" She asked, leaning in and facing Tom directly, he looked out the window and smiled, well atleast tried to. He turned back to her, and replied, "Good, how about you, Wisteria?"

The other smiled, trying to be warm and friendly but the underlying motive in her eyes gave it away. Tom was not surprised, he had to deal with her for two whole _years._

"Why don't you come sit with us? You seem quite lonely. It will be fun with the other Slytherins there." She reached out to hold his hand, but retracted as she saw Tom backing away. The disappointment in her face was crystal clear, and she wanted to try, again, but when she did footsteps interrupted her.

Hari was back from changing into her robes, a scowl on her face and eyebrows twitching in anger. Tom was confused as to why the girl was clearly fuming, and once she took a look at him and Wisteria, she froze in her spot holding the door frame.

"Ah, looks like my seatmate Hari is here. You should go Wisteria, your friends might be waiting." He said, smirking at the other girl. Hari, silently walked in, sitting down after the ravenette stood up abruptly while glaring daggers at the brunette. The girl, being only so clueless, stared back with eyes wide.

Once Wisteria stomped away, Tom fell into fits of laughter that Hari, stared at him with the same wide green orbs, frozen in spot. "What was with her?" Hari breathed out. Did she come at a wrong time? Who was the girl? Why is Tom even laughing? Thoughts raced her mind like a never-ending train, pacing all over her head and snapped back to reality as the other male's laughter died out.

"That was a girl I know. She's in Slytherin." Tom answered, looking at how the girl's face twisted at the name mentioned. Just then he remembered how Hari came back fuming to herself, and voiced out his wonder.

"Oh, and why were you so angry while coming back?" Hari face snapped to his direction, but later flinched as a sting went through her neck. Her hands went to it's crook, soothing it and answered,

"I met someone. Malfoy was his name. He stomped on my robes and I got angry! He threw a bit of a . . Tantrum." She hissed the words out like poison, and Tom dared to chuckle at that. She puffed out her cheeks like the little girl she was, organising her stuff. Tom never really thought that someone, a human could be so _interesting._ All he found ever interesting was dark magic and anything related to the sorts.

_Looks like we'll be there in a few._

He looked at the skies which were now broken into dusk, orange and violet painting the sky wonderfully. Tom could never not be mesmerized by it's beauty.

Meanwhile, Hari was absolutely in love with the place. It was like something she'd hbeen craving for and never knew that she did. "Hogwarts will be your new home." She said out, and the other turned his head in question. "That's what my dad told me."

"Well, I must say your dad is very true." The guy chuckled, now mesmerized by how the girl resembled himself so much when he was a first year.

* * *

"Firs' years this way! Firs' years!" A man, possibly a giant, Hari observes was calling over for first years as small kids rounded up around him. Tom waved and left the other way to the brunette, which disappointed her but brushed it off heading over to the giant.

Once the giant's eyes fell on the girl, He smiled widely, orbs then scanning over the group of students. "Hagrid's ma' name. Les' get to the boats shall' e?" He walked forward, the kids following him just after. They walked over to a lake, then hopped into boats, Hari seated with two other kids. Hari actually recognized one.

"Hey, you're the girl that fought with Malfoy!" He exclaimed, and the other girl who was with him turned her head with surprised. She held out her hand, and introduced herself, "I am Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you."

"I am Ron. Ron Weasley." The ginger boy said immediately after, eyes lighting up. Hari smiled at the two, and introduced herself, "I am Hari. Hari Potter."

The boys jaw dropped and regained his composure. Looking at the brunette, literally sparkling under the boat lights. Hari gulped nervously at the boy literally beaming at her. Hermione seemed to notice it too, and turned away from the boy's obliviousness. Before she could say anything, he exclaimed, "My dad's told me loads about the Potter family! I look up to them so much I even wanna become a chaser just like your dad in quidditch! And I heard that Mr. James is becoming our teacher this here at Hogwarts! Did you know about that? Well of course you did-""Wait. Hold up!"

Hari nearly combusted at how much the boy talked and looked at him wide eyes, taking in what he had just said. _Dad? Becoming a teacher? He didn't say anything about that to me._ Hermione sighed in relief as finally the ginger shut up, and Hari turned back to look at water reflecting herself, and slowly dissolving into darkness.

_He didn't say anything at all. I didn't know._

"I didn't." She said out loud, looking at the two who turned to each other then at the brunette. Her eyes were narrowed with eyes scrunched together, she clearly looked betrayed. Hermione, who stood up and sat at her side, patted the girl's shoulder in a wish to sooth Hari, and Ron's eyes looked up and down with confusion.

"I am sure he wanted to." Hermione said, Ron nodding along with a noise of agreement. Hari looked at Hermione with a smile, which the girl returned with her best. "I am sure."

Yeah. She hoped that he did to.

* * *

"Are all of you here?" A rather old -looking woman asked the huddled up group of kids, for which some nodded. Hari stood at somewhere in the middle with Ron and Hermione near her, both silently mumbling out at the palace's looks. Hari noticed how the woman's lips curled up when her soft orbs laid onthe the brunette's face, but his it and turned back to teacher - duty.

Hari tilted her head in wonder as to why teachers where smiling at her. Maybe they know she's a Potter? Or maybe her dad showed them all a picture or something? Pondering in her head, Hari walked forward as the professor leaded, after also introducing herself. The brunette, who didn't catch the name, asked Hermione and told her that it was McGonnagal.

They walked inside a big hall, filled with students sorted according to their houses. The stoped infront of a podium of sorts, with a eagle coloured in gold adoring it. A stool was put infront of them, with a hat that looked rather ragged and old. _That must be the sorting hat._ Hari thought, getting in line as professor McGonnagal told them to. She was behind Ron, Hermione somewhere in the front.

"I'll be calling out names." She said, taking a piece of parchment in hand. "Please come forward when your name is called." Her eyes wandered over the list, and called out, "Hermione Granger."

The girl went up with her face screaming nervousness, the same way Hari had been.

The sorting hat hummed, and then screamed out, "Ravenclaw!" Hermione got down with a smile on her ways, making her way to the table with blue accents in their uniforms. They cheered, shaking the girl's hands as she sat down.

It was not like Hari was that nervous, some of that feeling had melted away while talking with Tom. Ah, now that the girl remembered him, she looked around the tables to spot the male. Just as she spotted him, he was at the table facing the walls, back turned to her and chatting with someone else. It was the girl she saw in the train, her long raven hair now put in a ponytail. Hari turned back as someone called Susan Bones was called out, and the hat exclaimed Hufflepuff. Claps and cheers were heard, and next, Ron was called out.

"Ronald Weasley." The ginger gulped as he walked over to the wood seat and sat down, praying. "Ha! Another Weasley!" The hat snorted and Hari nearly wheezed, looking back at the ginger. Now that she actually had her eyes on the teacher's area. She noticed her father looking at Ron with a smile, probably how he has been since the start. His wandered over to Hari, who immediately looked in an another direction with sweat dripping off her forehead.

"Gryffindor!" The hat screamed, and Ron went over to the table who were cheering the most loudest. She smiled at Ron who looked at her with a bright grin.

Several students came by after that, and only a few were left. The Malfoy blonde got Slytherin, as expected. Hari felt anxiousness creep through her by the minute, slowly inhaling from time to time to keep herself short circuiting.

_It's just a hat._ She told herself. _It's just a house. Just a colour._

"Hari Potter." Professor McGonnagal called out, and the hall errupted in whispers. The staff didn't have to squint their eyes to see James's face lighting up as he heard his daughter's name. The girl slowly walked over to the seat, ignoring all the whispers and sat down, letting the hat sit on her head. It grumbled.

"Hmm .. difficult, _very_ difficult. " The hat pondered on, Hari looking up the hat and down at all the students. It hummed on, eyes(!) shut close in a thin line. Hari felt another bead of sweat fall down her face, and flinched when the hat let out a loud 'ah'.

"Ambitious, Very. You want to be a Auror eh? I think I know just where to put you .." Hari gulped, the grip on her robes tightened as mouth pursed in a line. Then the hat announced.

"Slytherin!"

...

Silence. That was the only thing that followed after. Hari slowly opened her eyes, looking around the hall. The hat was slowly removed from her head by professor McGonnagal.

"A Potter? In Slytherin?"

"No way."

"Hari!? There gotta be mistake!" The last one was Ron, she noted. The girl slowly stood up, walking over to the Slytherins who were clapping, and saw Tom, who was waving at the girl between the girl at the train and another guy. She also saw that pompous blonde that she had a argument with at the train, and both of them glared at eachother. The girl who she sat beside was silent, didn't mind her sitting there. The hall was still too silent for Hari's liking and all the staring they did to her back didn't do anything better.

The stares went back to all the freshman when the female professor cleared her throat and went on with calling out names. She slid on the table, her seniors patting her back with small 'welcome' 's muttered.

Tom felt sick at witnessing how other's started whispering behind her backs when they knew _nothing_ of the person. His eyes moved over to Hari who was obviously laid on the table in a sleeping position, probably clearing her head off. He didn't exactly know, but understood a bit of her feelings at the moment due to how the girl expressed her unwillingness to attend Hogwarts as a Slytherin. His eyes trailed over from the slouched girl to the man with similar looks and glasses staring at her with pity, probably her father, he assumed. The similarity in their looks were easy to predict.

The sorting went on, students properly now sorted in their houses. Dumbledore came up to speak, and Tom inwardly grunted when the old wizard did. Tom, or the whole Slytherin house, didn't really like Dumbledore. And the man likewise, didn't really like Slytherins. So, Tom wondered, how he was taking the fact that a Potter, Dumbledore's trusted family's child, got sorted into Slytherin. The man cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I Would like to say a few words, and here they are!" He said, looking back at James Potter who chuckled at the man. Several brows raised among the new students, and he exclaimed, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

Everyone clapped their hands with uncertainty, questioning smiles on faces. The seniors, who were used to it, only shook their heads and looked at the headmaster. "Before we begin our feast," he began, eyes drifting over the staffs, "I would like to introduce you to your new Defence against Dark arts Teacher. "

James Potter stood up, making his way to eagle stand. The students clapped, some cheered, Hari slowly clapped whilst not even looking at her father. Tom scrunched up his eyebrows at the worn out face of the girl, and looked back at James who sat down at his seat after giving a little and sweet speach like Dumbledore. "Let's learn and grow together." He had said, and Dumbledore announced the feast to begin.

The Gryffindors were practically jumping in their seats, and the other houses held respect for him. After all, he was namely the man to defeat a dark lord who nearly destroyed Hogwarts, or so they said, no one knew what really happened, which only made Tom wonder about Hari's dislike for Slytherin. Were the two incidents connected? He wondered. Looks like Tom Riddles riddling adventures were about to take gear.

Meanwhile, the brunette was brainstorming. Her father worked full time for the Order! How did he agree to become a teacher in Hogwarts? More importantly why? How did Sirius and Remus react? Did her mother know? Why didn't her father say anything to her?

The girl beside her, noticing the other's distress, patted her shoulder to gain her attention. Hari whipped her head in the girl's direction, which made strands of her hair hit the girl's face. The other blocked it with her palm, reverting it once the girl's attention was on her.

"You okay? You seem tense." She said, hand still lying on her shoulder. Hari nodded with a smile, which made the girl smile back. "I am Pansy. Pansy Parkinson. You're Hari Potter right?"

"Yeah. Nice to meet you, can I call you Pansy?" The other girl nodded, tucking her black locks behind her ear. Hari shook hands with her, happy with a new formed friendship. The pompous blonde scowled, opening his mouth for the first time.

"Didn't know you would make it to Slytherin, _Potter._ "

"Didn't know you would too, _Malfoy._ "

The two glared daggers at eachother with imaginary lightning forming between them. Pansy rolled her eyes, leaning backwards and taking a piece of bread to nibble on.

"Why don't you apologize for the incident at the train, _Potter?_ "

"Why don't _you_ apologize for stepping on my robes, _Malfoy? "_

The continued their staring with bickering as a nice touch, practically annoying everyone close to them. Pansy looked dead inside, and Tom gained several tick marks in his head.

"You two should stop." Came a elegant, and soft voice, which but made both shut up. It was the girl from the train (gosh how many times has Hari been calling her that?), and Malfoy retracted back to seat with a huff.

And Hari was sure the girl downright glared at the brunette with a burning hatred.

But didn't notice the soft and warm expression in Tom's eyes as he stared at Hari with his face rested on his left hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was wondering if you guys preferred chapters around 1k or 2k,, if you guys have suggestions please comment!


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